Tusculum, Carson-Newman Earn Bids To NCAA DII Football Playoffs

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the first time in school history, Tusculum College has earned a berth to the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs, while Carson-Newman returns to the playoffs after a three-year abscence.

The Pioneers are the No. 4 seed in Super Regional Two and will face fifth-seeded Albany State University this coming Saturday. Game time has yet to be announced.

The 24-team, four-region tournament field was announced Sunday on ESPN News.

Tusculum, who is riding a three-game winning streak, captured a share of its second South Atlantic Conference championship as the Pioneers defeated 15th-ranked Carson-Newman College, 45-44 in a thriller at Pioneer Field on Saturday.

The South Atlantic Conference champion Carson-Newman Eagles will travel to southern Georgia to face Valdosta State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs. The Eagles will face the Blazers on Saturday (Nov.15) in Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Kickoff is expected to be at 1 p.m.

C-N (7-3) is the No.6 seed in Super Region Two. Valdosta State is the No. 3 seed. The winner of the first round matchup will travel to Florence, Alabama to face the University of North Alabama, the No.2 seed in the region, on November 22.

Carson-Newman and Valdosta have an extensive playoff history. The two teams have met four times in the postseason, splitting the meetings at two wins apiece. The Eagles beat the Blazers in both 1996 and 2003, with the second win coming in Valdosta. VSU would win the '02 and '04 meetings, with the second one coming en route to their first Division II National Championship.

The Eagles have faced two teams in the D-Ii Playoff field, both in Super Region Two. C-N lost to North Alabama in September 20-13 in Jefferson City. It also lost to Tusculum on Saturday in Greeneville, 45-44, despite 573 yards of total offense.

With the postseason bid, the Eagles end a three-year postseason drought, the longest in Ken Sparks' 29 seasons at C-N. His team was 10-1 a year ago, but not receive a playoff invitation.

Delta State University and the University of North Alabama earned the top two seeds, respectively. Both teams will receive a bye and host the regional semifinal round on their respective campuses on Nov. 22nd.

Defending national champion Valdosta State University is the No. 3 seed and will face sixth-seed Carson-Newman this Saturday in a first round contest.

The winner of the Tusculum/Albany State game will travel to top-seed Delta State, while North Alabama will get the winner of the Valdosta State/Carson-Newman contest.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Tusculum and Albany State on the gridiron. The Rams enter the postseason with a 7-3 overall record including Saturday's 42-0 win over Miles College. Albany State is a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

NCAA Division II Football Playoffs

Super Region Two
Saturday, November 15, 2008
No. 6 Carson-Newman (7-3) vs. No. 3 Valdosta State (8-2)
No. 5 Albany State (7-3) vs. No. 4 Tusculum (8-3)

Saturday, November 22, 2008
No. 5 Albany State/No. 4 Tusculum at No.1 Delta State (9-1)
No. 6 Carson-Newman/No. 3 Valdosta State winner at No. 2 North Alabama (9-1)